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Gravitational-wave detections are now starting to probe the mass distributionof stellar-mass black holes (BHs). Robust predictions from stellar models areneeded to interpret these. Theory predicts the existence of a gap in the BHmass distribution because of pair-instability supernova. The maximum BH massbelow the gap is the result of pulsational mass loss. We evolve massive heliumstars through their late hydrodynamical phases of evolution using theopen-source MESA stellar evolution code. We find that the location of the loweredge of the mass gap at 45$M_\odot$ is remarkably robust against variations inthe metallicity ($\approx 3M_\odot$), the treatment of internal mixing($\approx 1M_\odot$), stellar wind mass loss ($\approx 4M_\odot$), making itthe most robust predictions for the final stages of massive star evolution. Thereason is that the onset of the instability is dictated by the near-final coremass, which in turn sets the resulting BH mass. However, varying$^{12}C\left(\alpha,\gamma\right)^{16}O$ reaction rate within its $1\sigma$uncertainties shifts the location of the gap between $40M_\odot$ and$56M_\odot$. We provide updated analytic fits for population synthesissimulations. Our results imply that the detection of merging BHs can provideconstraints on nuclear astrophysics. Furthermore, the robustness againstmetallicity suggests that there is a universal maximum for the location of thelower edge of the gap, which is insensitive to the formation environment andredshift for first-generation BHs. This is promising for the possibility to usethe location of the gap as a "standard siren" across the Universe.

Mind the gap: The location of the lower edge of the pair instability supernovae black hole mass gap